The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-05-15
OUT ON THE PRAIRIE.
A Thrilling Adventure and a
Narrow Escape.
IN A WALL OF ROARING FIRE
The Story Told by a Cowbow-The
Fate of an Emigrant-Romance
and Reality.

Between shutdown and dark, a few
evenings ago, a party of northwestern
cattlemen were grouped together in the
rotunda of the Merchants Hotel, dis
cussing on different points of the busl-
ness-to what per cent. the loss for the
past winter would reach, the prospects
for the coming summer, the effect of
the interstate commerce law, etc. The
recent prairie fires in the northwest, and
also those in Kansas, which caused the
loss of life and property and destroyed
for the season valuable grazing lands,
were made the topic of conversation,
when one of the gentlemen said:
"a prairie fire with strong wind is
terrible thing. I have seen several,
but fortunately was never very close to
but one, and it was only by streak of
good luck-or perhaps providence-that
[ escaped alive"
When the group had settled back for
the story, the csttleman told this Incl
dent. which has romance enough in it
for the foundation of novel"
at was in rs or '76, don't remem-
Der which," said the man. II was in
partnership in the cattle business with
a man, whose name is Immaterial, with
our ranch in Indian Territory, below
Medicine Lodge. We had shipped
drove Of cattle to Kansas City, driving
them from the Territory to Wichita,
Kan, which was then the terminus OF a
branch of the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe road. The drive to Wichita
was rather disastrous to the stock, the
grass along the route being poor and
water scarce.
ON THE WAY HOME FROM KANSAS CITY
it was decided that we should continue
on the main line OF the road to Hutch
inson, from which place would take a
horse and ride down to the Territory
while my PARTNER was to 60 on to Dodge
City, and also take horse for home The
object was to find more desirable
route on which to drive our next herd of
cattle in order to reach shipping p pint.
Accordingly stopped at Hutchinson,
and before going to bed was in posses
you ever laid your eyes on. The dis
lance from Hutchinson to Medicine
Lodge was about ninety miles, which
could be reached by hard days rice.
By daylight the next morning | was in
the saddle and riding south It will be
remembered that at that time Kansas
was little settled west of the central por-
ton, especially off the line of two rail-
roads running east and west through
the State. Consequently my ride was
a rather lonely one, the majority of thu
living things to be seen being prairie
dogs, which would scamper to their
holes on my approach. Occasionally |
would happen upon a 'dugout,' but
throughout the day did not see a SOL
itary house. These dugouts are strange
looking objects to persons unaccuS-
toned to them. Usually they are sim
ply hole dug in the ground 4 few
poles laid across and prairi- grass ana
dirt thrown over the top. The only re-
deeming feature about them is that
they are cyclone proof. In some cases
a hole is cut in the side hill, but owing
TO the nature of the country this form
of habitation is scarce. The day had
been unusually warm, and [ had been
riding rather slowly, with view of
pushing Oh faster Wucu II udU DSCOIue
cooler. A breeze sprang up from the
south, and I gave my horse a tap to
urge him on; but not Winding the whip
he started in different direction than
the one which he had been going. He
to be uneasy, but supposed
this was caused from thirst. The sun
had gone down and the breeze was in
creasing, bringing with it faint odor
of burning grass. As it grew dark
could see flicker of light at distance,
but thought nothing of it. 1t was not
long, however, until I discovered the
cause of the horses uneasiness. Stretch
ing from right to left. apparently in
semi circle. was a streak, of fire, and |
at once realized that
TWAS IN A DANGEROUS POSITION.
"There was no way to escape except
to turn back, and was loath to DO that.
l stood still some time undecided what
to do. It would be foolish to think of
trying to break through this wall of
fire. Turning the horses head in the